We don’t often think about or invest in breathing, even though it is essential for our health. It might be a surprise for some that you can breathe deficiently. You can improve your health with some easy breathing exercises. And it’s free!
Simple breathing exercises:
- Deep breathing (belly breathing):
- Sit or lie comfortably and place one hand on your belly and the other on your chest.
- Take a deep breath through your nose and let your belly expand.
- Then exhale slowly through your mouth, feeling your belly flatten.
- Repeat for several minutes.
- Equal breathing:
- Find a comfortable position and inhale through your nose for a count of four.
- Then exhale through your nose for a count of four.
- Repeat for several minutes.
- Alternate nostril breathing:
- Begin by sitting comfortably with your eyes closed and using your right thumb to close your right nostril.
- Inhale through your left nostril.
- Then use your ring finger to close your left nostril and exhale through your right nostril.
- Inhale through your right nostril.
- Then use your right thumb to close your right nostril and exhale through your left nostril.
- Repeat for several minutes.
- Box breathing:
- Find a comfortable position and begin by exhaling completely.
- Inhale through your nose for a count of four, and hold your breath for a count of four.
- Exhale through your mouth for a count of four, and hold your breath for a count of four.
- Repeat for several minutes.
Benefits of breathing exercises:
- Reduced stress and anxiety: Controlled breathing can help to calm the mind and reduce stress and anxiety levels. It activates the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting relaxation and a sense of calm.
- Improved lung function: Deep breathing exercises can help to increase lung capacity and improve lung function, which can benefit individuals with lung diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and pneumonia.
- Improved cardiovascular health: Deep breathing can also help to improve cardiovascular health by lowering blood pressure and heart rate. This can reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.
- Better digestion: Deep breathing can also help to stimulate the digestive system and improve digestion by increasing blood flow to the digestive organs.
- Increased energy and alertness: Breathing exercises can help increase oxygenation of the blood, improving energy levels and mental clarity.
- Better sleep: Breathing exercises can help to promote relaxation and reduce stress and anxiety levels, which can improve the quality of sleep.
- Strengthened immune system: Deep breathing exercises can help to strengthen the immune system by increasing the oxygenation of the blood, which can help to fight off infections and diseases.
Read also our helpful post about the benefits of steam breathing!
Apps to use:
- Breathe+: This app offers a variety of breathing exercises that can help reduce stress and anxiety, improve sleep, and increase focus and concentration.
- Prana Breath: Calm & Meditate – This app features a variety of breathing techniques based on traditional yoga practices. It includes guided sessions, customizable breathing programs, and a feature to monitor your progress.
- Breathing Zone: This app uses patented technology to guide breathing through visual cues and tones. It includes customizable breathing exercises and a progress tracker to help you monitor your breathing and stress levels.
- Paced Breathing: This app provides a visual tool to help you practice paced breathing, which involves inhaling and exhaling at a specific rhythm. It includes customizable settings for inhale, exhale, and hold times, as well as a progress tracker.
- Calm: While not specifically a breathing app, it offers a variety of guided meditations and breathing exercises that can help reduce stress and anxiety, improve sleep, and increase focus and concentration.
Our Tips for better sleep might offer some help with anxiety and calming.